I’m not really a fan of rat-rods, but this car is beyond cool. First of all, its a 1937 Ford, which is cool in its own right, but more importantly its a phaeton! Thus, it has no roof, 4 doors, and a secondary windshield for the passengers in the back seat, which according to the ad is a rare option. This car was a true barn find, discovered in pieces and built by Dayton Wire Wheels as part of a challenge proposed by Dutch at the 2005 SEMA show, but more on that later. This Ford is equipped with a ’53 Mercury Flathead, what look to be vintage Daytons, and a second-helping of awesome. Find it here on eBay with bidding at $10,600.
Pictured here is the rare back seat windshield, a unique feature that gives this car a bit of an aviation feel. With the top down, I can imagine this car is a boatload of fun! As long as it is, this car probably needs a secondary windshield. The seats look to have been redone and are very nice, and are the only part of the car that hint it has been gone through. They opted to keep the barn find rat-rod look, which this car wears quite well. The only thing that doesn’t quite do it for me is the wrenches being used for interior door handles!
The Dayton graphics throughout the car appear to be hand painted, and have been made to look old. I like it, because if it weren’t for the “Driven Dirty Tour ’07” text, it would be plausible that these were left over from the ’50s when the car was taken apart for customization. According to the ad, the car was disassembled for a custom hot rod build at some point during the ’50s, but it never came back together and sat until Dayton needed a car. From the ad, “Posies Driven Dirty Tour was a challenge thrown down by “Dutch” at the 2005 SEMA show: How about we get a handful of manufacturers to build cars and drive them from Cincinnati to next year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas?” Dayton Wire Wheels was one of the companies that signed up, but they did not have a car. This Ford was reportedly located less than two miles from Dayton’s headquarters, and thus was built up to drive 4,000 miles to the 2007 SEMA show.
Whether you like rat-rods or not, there is no denying how cool this car is! It’s a pretty uncommon car to begin with that has been customized by the last company you would expect, for a purpose it was never intended for. Dayton kept this car looking period correct minus the sound equipment, however that stuff is mostly hidden and doesn’t take away from the look. I would absolutely drive this, and it is surprising to me that this car has been listed more than once. Would you drive it as a rat-rod? Or finish building the dream of a 1950s hot rodder?
Pretty much like it is, except the silly wrench for a trunk handle thing. Too cute by half and can’t lock the trunk. Something NEEDS to lock. Does this car have side curtains, then? I assume it does and that’s what the sleeved holes are for at the top of the garnish moldings? If the side curtains are missing, never mind, I’ll find a better car.
Yes to side curtains and trunk does have lock
It has side curtains , back up camera, kemwood stereo system I have all the receipts from the build
I would love to pull all that stuff off of it, and restore it to stock. Now THAT would be a car!
I agree, at least go in that direction. MORE STOCK THE BETTER.
To bad Dayton had anything to do with this car!!!! They used to be a great company but since around 2009 they really lost their way as a company that cared about car people!!!! Shoulda been redone stock as this is a really rare car!!!!
Sad; but that’s the way Dayton is these days!!!
I believe the correct term for this body style is dual cowl phaeton. Packard made a number of these. The second cowl separated driver from passengers. Although I love the look of dc’s if restored to originaĺ, my dilemna has always been, do I want to look like the chauffeur if I am driving?
Ford never made a dual cowl phaeton. That rear seat windscreen was a period aftermarket piece, not something installed by Ford. A true dual cowl phaeton, actually has a second cowl section, installed behind the front seat.
Unlike a town car or limousine, dual cowl phaetons weren’t necessarily intended to be chauffeur driven either. These were big, long cars, without side windows, and anyone sitting in the back seat, got blown around quite a bit. The second windshield greatly reduced the amount of turbulence and buffeting, the rear seat passengers received.
Yes to side curtains and trunk does have lock
Second windshield was installed by dealer
Looking like a chauffeur wouln’t kill you. I was one for a few years and the driving of a limousine is not fun at all.
Rare and sad car….!
Nothing sad about this car. For those lamenting lack of stock look, go and find a stock one, I’m sure there’s at one or available for sale. I love the curves of the fenders on this car and how the tires fill out the gaps. It’d have serious problem if it had the gold Daytons 100 13″ wheels on it, but the ones on the car currently are in “tune” with the rest of it. The engine bay is done right with the flathead and 5speed trans should facilitate some freeway cruising, although I didn’t catch the type of rear end in it. Discs up front guarantees modern stopping so you’d be ok in today’s traffic. BTW, this is a strong point of doing this conversion. stock vintage cars have a stock vintage stopping distance. The crappiest of the crappy new cars today have a stopping distance that wasn’t seen even on many race cars of this bygone era, let alone a four door sedan. I agree on installing a proper trunk lid lock and trashing the lone front bumper protector. Beyond that just enjoy it. I’m going back for another look at those sexy fenders and those headlights, umm umm umm
8″ ford
Six figure restoration.
That being said…I hope there’s a deep pocket out there that’s up to it.
I think it’s worth it.
Ad said car was sectioned by whoever started the rebuild and didn’t finish it — is that why there’s the added metal at the back of the rear doors that doesn’t match the contours of the rest of the door? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Here is the build story: http://www.daytonwirewheel.com/street_rod_project.php
My evaluation of the photographs is that the top of the doors, and, in fact, the whole car, was being made shorter by cutting out a chunk of the car halfway down the firewall around 4 inches tall. This lowered the cowl, and then the doors’ tops four inches from original. When the project got to the rear of the rear doors, it must have occurred to the “craftsman” that there was no good way to take 4 inches out of the curved trim on the rear of the car, and the well that the roof lowered into. The same was true of the trunk-lid. So the project stalled, and the builder just fashioned transition pieces at the rear of rear doors.
Your right
Yup, that’s exactly what it looks like. Must have made fitting the top a real bugger. Thanks
Back in the 50s ?? The doors and front were section 4″
Looks like you have been beat up already on calling it a Pheaton.
Two doors, two seats, no roll up windows- Roadster
Two doors, four seats no roll up windows- Pheaton
Four doors, four seats, no roll up windows- Touring.
Two doors, two seats, roll up windows_Cabriolet.
Just love seeing these finds AFTER they are ended
Being it’s back up for sale as the owner is asking way to much for a resto project..
Melt it down and make a dozen bikes out of it.
Send it back to Henry maybe he’ll fix it
It runs great doesn’t need to be fixed
I would restore this Ford back to the way it came from the factory and put a nice shiny black paint job on it. It deserves no less.
Sorry boys, this car body does not appear to have a second cowl, to which the second windshield is attached, and fully framed.There were aftermarket kits to provide the look but were very far from the quality of the REAL high dollar custom bodied Ford phaeton town cars that were farmed out by Ford.